Kansas City Chiefs don’t seem particularly eager to do the one thing they need to do most in the final 3 weeks of 2025 NFL season
The Kansas City Chiefs’ priorities in the final three games of the 2025 NFL season might not entirely be where they need to be.
For the first time in over a decade, the Kansas City Chiefs don’t have the playoffs as a carrot to dangle in front of them for motivation, with regular-season games still to be played. Even without that motivation, there’s plenty left for this team to play for and build off of when they suit up against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16.
As Andy Reid told reporters on Monday, they’ve got an opportunity to learn a lot about their team in the final three weeks of the 2025 NFL season. However, the coaching staff doesn’t seem particularly eager to do the one thing they desperately need to do down the stretch. That is to play the young players on the team who haven’t had much opportunity to this point in the season, for whatever reason.
“We’ll see,” Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo said when asked about young players getting opportunities. “I mean, listen, during the game last week we dealt with some injuries, and we’re dealing with some other ones this week, so we’ll see what that takes us. But, you know, the one thing is that our unit, the guys, I mean, listen, we want to finish strong here, you know, take one game at a time and play really well in this game. So we’re going to put guys out there to do that. But will some young guys get in there and play? Probably, yeah.”
It remains to be seen what the team will actually do on gameday. However, the Chiefs still seem to be in a mode where they’re only willing to give guys opportunities out of necessity, when they should really be shifting toward evaluating for the future. Finishing the season out strong isn’t just about winning games; it’s about assessing where your roster is and where it can improve for the 2026 NFL season.
“This is an opportunity, or could be an opportunity, to see somebody that we haven’t seen yet,” Spagnuolo said. “But again, the focus is going to be to prevent as many points by Tennessee’s offense as possible. That’s our job.”
Rookie LB Jeffrey Bassa is doing everything the Chiefs have asked of him, but might not get his time to shine until 2026
One of the players who should realistically get a look in the final three weeks of the 2025 NFL season is rookie LB Jeffrey Bassa. The Chiefs traded up in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select Bassa, knowing that Leo Chenal is a pending free agent and Drue Tranquill has an out year in his contract in 2026. Bassa could get a look as a defensive starter in 2026, but he might be sitting on his hands when the defense is out on the field in these final three games of the season.
“Well, I mean, he’s been playing special teams, obviously,” Spagnuolo said of Bassa. “And I mean, you know, we haven’t seen any reason to pull the other guys out. Hopefully, everybody stays healthy, and it doesn’t become an injury thing, but I got a lot of confidence in Jeff. I was talking to him the other day. I mean, the growth process as a weakside linebacker is just in walkthroughs. Now, we haven’t seen him in the game, haven’t seen him since preseason, but I’m real hopeful for Jeff going forward.”
When Chiefs LB coach Brendan Daly was asked about Bassa, he had nothing but good things to say about his progress and how he’s handled business to this point.
“You know, he’s done a really nice job for us,” Daly said. “His role, obviously, has been more in the kicking game, but he has stayed very dialed into defensively what we’re doing. (He) does a really good job in terms of communication. Has done a nice job understanding the different roles that he could get put into. You know, it’s been a fortunate situation in terms of our health at the linebacker position hasn’t required him to get a bunch of game action, but I’ve been really pleased with his development. He’s in here early every day. He’s working hard. He does a really good job of asking questions and watching the guys in front of him, who do a great job.”
Bassa is merely one example, but other rookies like Jalen Royals appear to be in the same boat. Royals might have an easier path to playing time with Tyquan Thornton and Rashee Rice dealing with concussions this week. For Bassa to get an opportunity, it sounds as if they’d have to suffer more than the current injury to Leo Chenal.
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